Hallyday to have final farewell on St Barts

France will pay a “people’s homage” to rock star Johnny Hallyday on Saturday, which will include a procession down the Champs Elysees in Paris.

President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to give a “brief tribute” to the French Elvis during the funeral at Madeleine church. This will not be a state funeral.

A statement on Thursday from Elysée Palace read: “It has been agreed between the family, relatives of Johnny Hallyday and the Presidency of the Republic, that as part of this ‘people’s tribute’, the funeral procession will leave the Arc de Triomphe, then head down the Champs Elysees until the Place de la Concorde before entering the Madeleine church for a religious service.”

It was also announced that Hallyday would be buried on St Barts, where he regularly spent time at his Villa Jade since 2008.

President of the Collectivité of Saint-Barthélemy, Bruno Magras commented, “It’s a big loss for France in general and Saint-Barthélemy in particular.”